Tourniquet
by Child of the Ancients
Summary: A song-fic to Tourniquet by Evanescence. After everything's over, Kagome ends up committing suicide; however, Sesshoumaru finds her and saves her... which she doesn't like at all. SK fic.
1. Default Chapter

**Tourniquet**

Chapter One

_ ~I tried to kill the pain,_

But only brought more.

(So much more)

I lay dying,

And I'm pouring, crimson regret, and betrayal.~

.

Kagome sobbed as she slit her wrists once again with the sharp razors, her salty tears falling down her bruised cheeks to drip into the warm bath water. Steam swirled around the bathroom, making the air thick and heavy. Her blood trickled down her wrist and dispersed into the water, tinting the water pink. Dark purple blotches that matched the ones on her face marred her pale skin, making her look as if some young child had gone crazy with a giant purple marker.

Intermixed with the bruises were puncture wounds and thin scratches, injuries that were still red, much like the color the water was quickly becoming.

"Inuyasha..." the black-haired girl said softly as more tears slid down her cheeks, falling onto her shoulder, making the shallow cut there sting.

All her bruises had been caused by the inu youkai. It had been all his fault. The puncture wounds and scratches had been done with his claws. The silver-haired demon had abused her so horribly that she hurt even on the inside. 

.

_ ~I'm dying,_

Praying,

Bleeding,

Screaming.

Am I too lost to be saved?

Am I too lost?

My God! My Tourniquet,

Return to me salvation.

My God! My Tourniquet,

Return to me salvation.~

.

The young miko slashed her other wrist once more, watching her blood taint the water with a morbid fascination. She was soon going to die, which was what Inuyasha had done to Sango, Miroku, and even little Shippou. He had killed them all, and she hadn't been able to do a thing about it. The rosary around his neck had been broken off during the battle with Naraku.

She hadn't worried about the loss of the subjugation spell at the time, but after they had defeated the evil hanyou and finished putting the Shikon no Tama together, he had demanded the jewel. Of course, she had given it to him, expecting him to wish for his Kikyou back.

Instead, Inuyasha had wished to be a full demon. His eyes had turned red and dangerous; his fangs and claws had become longer. The transformed inu youkai had terrified Kagome. Once he was fully transformed, he had quickly proceeded to killing Sango off.

Then, Miroku, in a blind rage, had attacked his old traveling companion. The monk quickly joined his lost love, tears in his eyes.

.

_ ~Do you remember me?_

Lost for so long.

Will you be on the other side?

Will you forgive me?

  


I'm dying,

Praying,

Bleeding,

Screaming.~

.

The miko had stood, transfixed in complete horror at the scene in front of her, when Inuyasha had turned to her. The dog demon had walked towards her, a dark, eager look in his eyes.

Shippou had tried to protect her, but he had quickly died, shredded to pieces. With no one to protect her, the transformed Inuyasha had pounced on her, taking off his clothes and then ripping away hers. He had then proceeded to beating her, using his fists, his open palm, his claws, and even his fangs. Once she had begun sobbing and pleading with him, he had raped her, being as rough as he had known how to be, which had been almost rough enough to kill her. 

.

_~Am I too lost to be saved?_

Am I too lost?

  


My God! My Tourniquet,

Return to me salvation.

My God! My Tourniquet,

Return to me salvation.~

.

Once Inuyasha had finished with her, he had left her to die. Somehow, Kouga had shown up a little later, taken one look at her, and quickly taken her to his wolf tribe to be cared for. The wolf demon prince had seen to her wounds and had given her a comforting shoulder to cry on.

Kagome had just been beginning to heal when the dog demon had suddenly decided to show up. He then had begun to slaughter the pack mercilessly, laughing in joy.

Kouga had ordered the miko to run, which she had done, fearing for her life. Unfortunately, she had witnessed the prince's death before going too far.

In tears, she had run. After traveling for weeks, she had arrived back at the well, went through, and came home to find her entire family dead. Inuyasha had killed them all.

.

_ ~(Return to me salvation)_

(I want to DIE!)

  


My God! My Tourniquet,

Return to me salvation.

My God! My Tourniquet,

Return to me salvation.~

.

Kagome had attended the funerals with tears on her face, mourning her family as well as all her friends back in the Sengoku Jidai. Of course, she had placed ofuda all over the well to keep Inuyasha from ever coming back to the present. That did not make her feel any better though. She wanted to be with her friends and family, wanted the pain to end. She wanted to be free from the heart-wrenching torture that she was going through. She hurt so bad, which was why she was ending it.

.

_~My wounds cry for the grave._

My soul cries for deliverance.

Will I be denied?

Christ! Tourniquet! My suicide.~

.

"So dizzy," the miko whispered softly, knowing that her life was slipping away as the seconds passed by. In a way, that idea pleased her. Soon, she would be in heaven and happy once again.

"I'm sorry, everyone, for not saving you. Please forgive me." Then, knowing that her friends and family had forgiven her, her eyes closed and her heart ceased to beat. She died with a smile on her face.

  
  


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CotA: Okay, now that was just sad. I can't believe I wrote that. *Begins to cry*

Sigmund and Sesshoumaru-clone: *walking in*

Sess-chan: What's the matter with you?

Sigmund: Is the little baby having problems again? 

CotA: Shut up, jerk!

Sess-chan: *hitting Sigmund on the head* Do not insult her. 

CotA: Thanks, Sess-chan. *sniffling* I'm crying because I wrote a really sad story. I don't even know why I wrote it.

Sess-chan: I would say you wrote it because your short muse gave you the idea.

CotA: *Blinking* I guess that's possible. He does seem to like putting Kagome through all sorts of crap. That stupid gnome has suggested all sorts of mean things. *glares at Sigmund* 

Sigmund: *gulps* Bye. *runs off*

CotA: *Sighs* I'm still depressed.

Sess-chan: Then write something happy. 

CotA: *ponders that idea for a moment* Hmmm... I could continue this little one-shot if enough people review and say that they want me to. I have an idea that just might work.

Sess-chan: What? 

CotA: *kisses him on the cheek* You'll find out soon enough. If the reviewers don't ask me to continue it, then I'll tell you later. Promise. 

Sess-chan: Very well. 

CotA: You're such a sweetheart. *turns to readers* Press the little purple button down below and tell me what you think of this please. Gracias. Arigato. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Tourniquet**

Chapter Two

Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose in disgust as a familiar smell reached his nose. A faint trace of Inuyasha's scent was in the air, but it was stale, perhaps by a week or so. _'How is this possible. Inuyasha is dead. His smell cannot be this fresh.' _ Golden eyes sweeping the area, the dog demon used his nose to trace the scent. He walked down a street lined with trees, passing bike-riding children and adults as well. Not one noticed what he was--a demon. Only those who knew what he was would be able to see his youkai attributes. Everyone else just saw a very tall human male.

Placing one hand on the Tensaiga's hilt and his other hand on the Tetsusaiga, Sesshoumaru followed the smell to a shrine, where another, slightly familiar scent joined his half brother's. _ 'Blood. The wench's blood along with others.' _

Demeanor calm, the inu youkai gracefully climbed the many steps to find the Goshinko tree--the god tree and the place where Inuyasha had once been pinned. _ 'What is going on? Why do I smell my brother? He has been dead for almost 500 years, and I shouldn't be able to smell the human girl. She had to have died many, many years ago; however, I cannot deny what my nose does detect.' _

Frowning, Sesshoumaru used his keen sense of smell to locate where the fresh blood was coming from--the house. Judging by the strong smell, someone was either dead or dying. A person had to lose a lot of blood to make the blood scent that strong.

Without caring about manners, only about his curiosity, the dog demon barged right into the house, wondering at the fact that the door had not been locked. He didn't worry about that fact for long, though. His mind was soon occupied by other things. _ 'It is indeed the wench I smell, but how is that possible? How could she have survived for so many years? She was a human, not a demon. A miko cannot use her magic to increase her life span, so how did she do it? And why is she finally dead or dying now?' _

His mind trying to come up with at least one idea, he walked up the stairs and straight to the bathroom. Standing outside the bathroom door, he could tell that the smell of blood was coming from the other side of the door. It was so thick that he had to breath out of his mouth. Years of not having to deal with the stench of the life substance had made his nose more sensitive to it.

Still curious, Sesshoumaru opened the door. His eyes quickly spotted a raven-haired girl sitting in a tub full of pink water. Ugly purple bruises and red scratch-marks and puncture wounds covered her body, clearly evident against her pale skin. Blue lips were parted; however, she had obviously stopped breathing. Wrists covered in fresh slashes rested at her sides, and a blood-covered razor sat at the edge of the tub.

_'She committed suicide.' _The inu youkai couldn't help but feel sorry for her. In a way, she reminded him of Rin when he had found the little girl dead. Rin had looked helpless and pathetic, just like the wench did at the moment.

Partly from curiosity about how she had survived and partly from pity, Sesshoumaru drew the Tensaiga. In one quick slash and flash of light, he killed the death minions that were taking away her soul.

The raven-haired girl took a gasping breath, her body fully healed. Brown eyes fluttered open to look down at her body, finding it in one piece. She no longer bore the marks of her abuse, both Inuyasha- and self-induced.

"Dear Kami," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What happened?" She suddenly turned to see Sesshoumaru standing there; her eyes went wide, and she screamed for all she was worth.

The dog demon covered his ears, the sound grating on his nerves. "Stop that right now, woman!" he ordered, expecting her to obey him. "I did not bring you back to life merely to kill you again. If I wanted you dead, I would have left you that way."

The girl stopped screaming, easily seeing that the statement made perfect sense. "You... you brought me back to life? How? How is that even possible?"

"My father's sword," he answered simply. "Now, go dress yourself. Once you're decent, I want to know how you're still alive."

The girl nodded her head, her mind in a state of complete shock. _ 'It's Sesshoumaru, and he's not trying to kill me. Why?' _ Brown eyes not really focusing, she climbed out of the tub and wrapped a large towel around her body, stiffly walking to her room.

After Kagome closed her bedroom door, she sat down on her bed. Tears suddenly welled up in the girl's eyes. "Inuyasha..." she whispered as her whole body shook. Visions of everything that had happened flashing through her mind, she began to cry.

She hurt; she hurt so badly. _'Why couldn't he have just left me dead? I don't want to live anymore. I want to die!' _

Curling up into the fetal position, she let her tears flow out of her turbulent brown eyes and down her face. "Kami... I hurt."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as he listened to her, his ear gently pressed to the door. He didn't trust the girl not to try to kill herself once again. She was obviously unstable, and his presence probably had not helped at all. _'Why does she hurt? Did the sword not fully heal her when I brought her back to life?' _

Sounds of sobs reached his ears, making him sigh. He loathed the sound of a person crying. It always affected him for some reason, and he hated that.

After ten minutes of listening to her crying, he barged into the room, intent on making her stop.

"Go away," the girl whispered brokenly, but Sesshoumaru merely ignored her and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Just go away and let me die."

"No," he responded calmly. "You cannot die until you answer my questions, and they are becoming more numerous as you continue to delay. Thus, if you wish to die soon, then I suggest you dress yourself and tell me what I want to know."

Somehow, her mind acknowledged what he had said, so she set about pulling on clothes. She ended up putting on a blue sweater and a black skirt. "There." She curled back up in the fetal position on the floor.

"Your name?" The inu youkai patiently waited for an answer.

She began to rock back and forth, somehow finding the motion soothing. "Kagome."

"Why are you still alive? I know that you were with my half brother 500 years ago, before his demise."

Kagome sniffled, not caring if she gave away her most precious secret to one of the demons that had tried to kill her multiple times. She just didn't care about anything anymore. Everyone she cared about was dead and gone. "There's a well on this shrine. It's a link to the past. If you possess a shard of the shikon jewel, then you can use it to travel back 500 years into the past."

_'Ahhh... that explains quite a bit.' _ Sesshoumaru accepted the explanation without question. "Did my half brother possess a shard?"

She shook her head, the movement slow and sad. She hated hearing about Inuyasha. "No."

The dog demon frowned. "Then why can I smell him? His scent is only a week old, if that."

"He could use the well without the shards. I don't know why." She shrugged.

_'Well, now I know why this girl is alive and why I can smell my pathetic half brother,' _he thought. "Now, why did you kill yourself?"

That had been the wrong question to ask, because Kagome began sobbing all over again. She buried her head in her knees, her black hair cascading about her, fully covering her face. Her fragile body shook with each despairing, gasping breath she took. She was like a small child--helpless.

_'She reminds me of Rin when she was still mute. I cannot press this issue any further at this moment. It will have to wait.' _ Sesshoumaru stood and picked up Kagome, placing her on the bed. "We will talk later. I have more questions for you, so do not commit suicide again. I will only bring you back if you do."

Without giving her another glance, Sesshoumaru left the house, leaving the miko with his promise to return.

Emotional pain filling her body, Kagome wanted nothing more than to escape all the hurt for just a few hours. So, she curled up under the covers and fell asleep to dream of her rescuer.

  
  


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CotA: Yea! I finally got around to writing more in this. *hugs Sess-chan* And you were such a big help. Thanks!

Sess-chan: You felt bad about this story, so I had to. You're next to impossible to live with when you're depressed.

CotA: Sorry, but at least I began to fix everything. Kagome is alive again, thanks to Sesshoumaru and his wonderful sword. *pauses* Sess-chan, why does Sesshoumaru have the Tetsusaiga? I thought that he couldn't touch it? 

Sess-chan: *smiling* That's for me to know and for you to find out. 

CotA: *pouting* Please, will you tell me?

Sess-chan: *shaking his head* No. Now, the review responses are below.

Amanda: Yeah, it was different, but I'm continuing it, so maybe it will become just slightly similiar.

Ashley: I'm not sure where I came up with this idea, but I know that this probably won't happen in the series, and I don't want it to. I want a happy ending.

GuiltyOne: I don't know how I wrote this either, but... *shrugs* I did. And I have written other stuff. All my other stories are romances.

mYjesTikgiRl: Yes, it was sad. I almost started crying when I reread it.

Hamaguri: Thanks for the recommendation.

Dragon hitokiri: See? I continued. I had to. This story was just so sad.

My-Name-is-Spoken: Yes, it was sad, and thanks for the compliment.

mkh2: I don't know what happened to Inuyasha. Sess-chan won't tell me anything yet.

Sayeesa: I understand lazyness. I'm kinda lazy myself.

Dragon Child2: I'm not a fan of character deaths either.

Sakura onto Hitomi: I like Inuyasha just fine. Actually, I think he's funny in the show. I just... wrote this for an obsure reason.

Jupiter's Light: Well, it's beginning to become all better.

Chronicles Bailey: I know that it wasn't fair for me to do that to Inuyasha, but I did it anyway. It was needed for the story.

Akuma Kodomo: I continued, see? I had planned on having Sesshoumaru save her from the start.

Raining Fire: Yes, scary.

PWA: I surprised myself. I'm not much of a depressing person, but I guess I was in a bad mood when I wrote this. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Tourniquet**

Chapter Three

Kagome sniffled as she buried her head in her pillow, letting her tears flow once again. It was sometime in the afternoon, and she hadn't even left her bed. She didn't want to. What she wanted was to die, but that had been denied to her.

_'It isn't fair. I just want the pain to end. Is that too much to ask?' _she asked herself as she curled up into the fetal position. _'Why couldn't Sesshoumaru have just left me alone? I know that it wouldn't have bothered him, since he's a known killer. Why did he have to save me?' _

She rolled onto her back, trying to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand. Of course, she failed, due to the fact that whatever she wiped away was quickly replaced. It was sometime in the afternoon, and she hadn't left her bed. She was hoping that she could just waste away to nothing or sleep for the rest of her life. Both options sounded pretty good to her, as they allowed her to escape from her painful and torturous life. 

As she sniffled yet again, she heard a knock come from downstairs. Not caring who was paying her a visit, she curled up in a small ball and ignored them. The knocking persisted.

Growing fed up with the annoying noise, Kagome rolled out of bed and slowly walked down the stairs. She opened the door and found the person she least expected there.

His eyes were full of worry, and the look on his face was apologetic. The male scuffed his foot against the ground, as if he didn't know what to say, and he kept his hands behind his back.

"Yes?" the raven-haired girl inquired, her voice scratchy from all the crying she had been doing.

"I brought you something." He brought his hand out from behind his back to reveal that he had been holding a gladware container filled with some strange-looking food. "It's suppose to help a person get through tough times."

Kagome accepted the container. "Thanks, Hojo. I'll put this in the fridge," she responded, voice dead. _'Yeah... in the fridge... where it will sit alongside all the other food I've received from people.' _ "I also want you to know that I'm here if you ever need to talk or something," the brown-haired boy offered, tone sincere and kind.

"Thanks." She didn't feel like talking at all, although she appreciated his offer. It was nice to know that he cared enough to say that; however, she only felt like crawling into a hole and dying... or at least finding a place where she could be left alone.

Hojo seemed to sense that he wasn't exactly welcome. "Well, I'll come back to check on you soon. Call me if you need me."

"I will," Kagome promised, although she wasn't sure why. Perhaps she was just too depressed to care about what she said anymore. "Good-bye."

"Bye." He waved and walked off.

The young miko shut the door and went to the kitchen, putting the lasagna in the refrigerator beside the pot-roast she had received from one of her mother's friends. She hated being in the kitchen though; it reminded her of her mother, bringing her only pain. The happy memories were too far buried under the agony for her to recall them.

Kagome began to climb up to her room, but she was stopped once again by a knock at the door. Sighing, she shook her head and resumed her path to her bedroom. She had dealt with one person, and she wasn't planning on dealing with another. She didn't want sympathy or someone who claimed that they understood how she felt. No one could possibly know because no one else had had their first love, a youkai, murder all their friends and loved ones. 

She made it up to room right as the knocking ceased. Smiling, she curled up under the covers and tried to fall back asleep; however, she wasn't given the chance. A moment after she had laid down, she had the covers jerked off of her body.

"Get up," a male voice ordered, tone cool and stern. It was a no-nonsense voice that was used for making demands of people. "I have questions for you."

The miko curled up in a small ball, knowing exactly who had come into her house uninvited. Only Sesshoumaru, a taiyoukai, would have such nerve. "Go away," she muttered. "I don't want to answer your questions." 

"Do you think I care?" the dog demon retorted. "Now, sit up. The sooner all my questions are answered, the sooner I will leave you alone."

"Leave," she responded, not moving an inch. She didn't have to obey him. If she wanted to curl up in a ball and die, then she could. There was nothing he could do to stop her. Well... maybe there was, but she highly doubted that he would do it.

Growling, Sesshoumaru grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her up, her movements rough. "Do not order me around, ningen," he stated hotly. "You do not have the right."

Kagome stared up at him, eyes void of all emotion. "I don't?" she inquired as she remembered something important. "I'm a miko. If I wanted, I could purify you." All the time spent with Inuyasha, hunting for the shards, had done wonders for her powers. She could use them quite well... not that she wanted to. She hadn't used them on Inuyasha because... she hadn't been able to. She hadn't been able to bring herself to kill the man she had loved.

"You could, but you won't. You're too busy wallowing in self-pity," the dog demon retorted, forcing her to meet his golden gaze. "Which is just like a pathetic human wench."

"I'm not pathetic," she replied weakly, her voice soft and distant. "I'm not."

"Then stop whimpering, sit up, and answer my questions." Sesshoumaru released her, letting her fall back to the surface of the bed.

Her stomach suddenly growled, the noise loud enough that even if the male hadn't been a demon, he still would have heard it. Kagome would have blushed a few months ago, but she didn't care what he thought of her. Instead of apologizing or anything along those lines, she merely stared up at him.

The taiyoukai rolled his eyes. "You haven't eaten at all today, have you?" he asked, annoyance in his voice. She shook her head. "Then I will ask my questions while you eat." She shook her head again. "You don't have a say in the matter." 

"I don't want to use the kitchen," the miko whispered. "I can't."

"And why is that?" Sesshoumaru raised one of his perfectly arched eyebrows at her. "Well? Answer, ningen."

"I can't... it hurts." She had tried to cook something on the stove the morning of the funeral, but she had been unable to. Everything she had looked at, everything around her, had brought back so many memories, leaving her with nothing but tears and a ferocious ache in her heart.

He frowned. "Explain yourself. Tensaiga healed you, so why do you still hurt?" he demanded.

Kagome sighed sadly as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "They're... dead. All of them."

"Who?" Sesshoumaru knew that he would have to approach the topic carefully if he didn't want her to break down in crying hysterics again.

"My... family... friends... everyone," she sobbed, clutching her knees to her chest. "He killed them!" She began to wail, the sound heartbreaking.

He stared at her, a slight expression of curiosity on his face. "Who killed them?"

It was a few minutes before her sobbing quieted down enough for her to respond. "Inuyasha." That one word brought back more pain and heartache than ever before, and she broke back down.

For some reason, that didn't surprise Sesshoumaru. When he had last seen his brother, the idiot had been out of his mind, completely crazy. Going full demon had not been a wise choice for him, and it had caused his downfall.

_'I can understand why she committed suicide now. Inuyasha destroyed everyone she cared about, which obviously destroyed her in the process. She is much like Rin.' _ He watched her, allowing her to cry herself out. He wasn't going to pity her; he didn't want pity, so he never gave it. He did plan on helping her a little though by visiting her. The last thing she needed was to be left alone with her suicidal tendencies. Actually... she probably needed someone with her all day, every day. Since no one else was going to provide that service, he would have to.

"You need to eat and then pack your bags," Sesshoumaru stated once she had calmed back down.

Kagome looked up at him, surprise on her face. "What?" 

He crossed his arms, showing her that there would be no room for argument. "You're coming to live with me."

  
  


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CotA: Sorry about taking so long people. I really didn't mean to. I haven't been all that depressed receintly, so I have had nilch inspiration. Plus, I have no idea what-so-ever where I'm going with this. So... I'm going to ask... as the readers, where would you guys like this story to go? The only thing I know is that I want Sesshoumaru and Kagome to become a couple... and that's it. I have no other ideas, especially since I've kinda kicked Sigmund off this project.

Sigmund: *shouting from somewhere in the background* Which is totally unfair!

CotA: Ignore him. He's just miffed that he can't kill Kagome again. He wanted her to commit suicide again and actually die once Sesshoumaru had asked all his questions.

Sess-chan: Which was a stupid idea.

CotA: Thank you, Sess-chan. I was hoping you'd agree with me on that point. *looks back at the readers* So, if you have any ideas about where you want this fic to go, tell me.

Sess-chan: And the review responses are below.

Dragon Hitokiri: I try not to end up with writer's blocks, but I do get them every now and then.

Hino Mitsukiko: I scare you? Huh... Is that a good or bad thing? *grins mischievously* Oh, this is a Sess/Kag fic. And I suppose I could find another muse, but Sigmund was a gift from a reviewer. And Sesshoumaru belongs to you? *shrugs* Okay, but Sess-chan is mine. He's a clone that I got from Kagome-chan, and he serves as my other, much better muse. Although, he and Sigmund are collaborating for my fic Virtual Reality.

...: Ummmm... should I feel bad? Yes, I understand that what I did was wrong and senselessly evil, but it could happen. Inuyasha went insane, completely and totally insane. He didn't know what he was doing. 

Iloveinuyasha1029: You spelled Fluffy correctly. And I'm not quite sure what he has in store for Kagome. 

Dragon Child2: Kagome should stay alive... not that Sesshoumaru would give her any say in the matter. 

PWA: I'm not big on depressing stories, which is probably why it took me so long to update. 

Sailor Mini Venus: Yes, I continued it. 

Rosedevil2: I can see why you didn't like the first chapter. It was very depressing. 

MinaMiyu: Sad, I can see. Unfair... okay, that's a little obvious. But cute? What part of my story is cute? I'd love to know. 

Chronicles Bailey: Yeah... I guess he does have a soul. *blinks a few times* Interesting. 

Faerie-dance: I'm glad you liked my extremely sad and morbid first chapter. I guess that means I did a good job. 

Jupiter's Light: I'll try to post more, but this story isn't exactly easy to write in. 

Sakura onto Hitomi: Thanks. I value your opinion more than I could ever say. Your support for all my stories is priceless, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.


	4. Chapter 4

Tourniquet 

Chapter Four 

Sesshoumaru looked over at Kagome, noticing how she slumped in the passenger's seat of his BMW. She wasn't even pouting because he was making her come live with him; it just seemed to be a subconscious action with her, a reflection of how she felt on the inside. She had her head bowed, her raven locks falling forward to hide her facial expressions; however, he didn't need to see her face to know what she was feeling. 

First of all, there was her scent, which relayed quite accurately that she was deep in depression. Secondly, her posture said that she was trying to curl in on herself--a sure sign of insecurity or fear. She had her arms wrapped around her self, her hands gently rubbing her upper arms in a slow, repetitive motion. 

Kagome was depressed and scared to a certain extent. Whether she was just plain scared because of what had happened to her or whether she was scared of living, he didn't know. It was hard to say with her. 

"When we arrive at my house, you will eat," Sesshoumaru ordered. "You will eat three meals a day with Samantha. No exceptions. You will not sleep the days away. Breakfast is at eight, and you will be up for it every morning." 

"Samantha?" she repeated, finally looking up to gaze at the taiyoukai, dull eyes filled with a little curiosity. 

The corners of his lips twitched. "My adopted daughter." 

Kagome blinked, feeling a little surprised. The great cold demon lord who had tried to kill so many times had adopted a girl? Why? What had led him to do such a thing? "What is she like?" she inquired softly. 

Pleased that she had finally taken an interest in something, he set about answering her question. "She's fifteen, with blond hair and blue eyes. She's talkative, noisy, and messy. She doesn't listen well either." He grimaced slightly. Samantha had a mind of her own, and he constantly butted heads with her, trying to make her understand that she had to obey him. That girl spent more time grounded than anything else, and it was entirely her fault. 

"Why did you adopt her?" she wanted to know. Something about what he had said just didn't make sense to her. She couldn't figure out why he would adopt anyone, let alone a girl who wouldn't listen to him. 

Sesshoumaru didn't respond for a few minutes, his mind running through the many answers he could give. In the end, he decided on the one that explained the least. He figured that the less information he gave her, the more she would talk and the more she would come out of her depression. "She needed a home." 

"There are a lot of children who need a home, so why her?" Kagome asked. She felt that there was something he wasn't telling her, something he was keeping a secret, and she wanted to know what it was. For the first time since her friends and family had died, her curiosity had been roused. 

"When she was younger, she reminded me of someone I once knew," he replied, sounding a little distant. He was picturing Samantha at age nine, the age she had been when he had first seen her. She had been a spunky ball of energy, her blond hair in high pigtails. Samantha had been so adorable, and then she had grown up to be a rebellious teenager. It was annoying but true. 

Kagome studied the youkai's face, debating over whether to ask him another question or not. "Who?" 

"Another little girl," Sesshoumaru answered, an image of Rin forming in his mind. She had been a complete sweetheart, someone who had been able to bring out his protective nature. Ever since he had met her, he had done his best to protect her. She had even traveled with him until the age of fifteen, which had been the year she had met her husband. Rin and the young man had married and produced five children, all of which he watched over until they moved out of Rin's house. 

Sometime after Rin's death, he had realized just how much he had enjoyed having a child around. So, he kept on adopting children throughout the years, finding their company preferable to most adult's. After all, they didn't care about the fact that a man by the name of Sesshoumaru had been around for the past 500 years or so. Most were just thrilled to have a home. A few had even called him dad, which he had tolerated... barely. 

The raven-haired miko almost sighed. He was purposely being secretive, probably to keep her interested. _'And he's doing a good job,' _ she mentally grumbled. "What was her name?" she inquired softly, wanting a straight answer. 

"Rin," he responded simply, seeing no reason to make his answer any longer than necessary. 

"What was she like?" Kagome asked. 

"I'll answer that another time," Sesshoumaru answered as he pulled his car into his driveway. "Right now, you need to go inside and eat. I'll have Ah-Un take your things to the room you will be using." 

She finally did sigh, but only because she really didn't feel like eating; however, her stomach felt differently. It growled loudly at her. 

"Go inside, now," he ordered when she didn't move. 

Pressing her lips together, Kagome did as he said, getting out of the car. It was then she finally noticed what kind of house Sesshoumaru lived it. It was a gorgeous white Victorian-style mansion with tall white pillars and bay windows on the first floor. On the second floor were balconies. The windows in the front door were stained-glass, the designs intricate and colorful. Rows of brightly colored flowers lined the walk-way up to the front door, and climbing roses twisted around every single white pillars, adding color to the structure as the red blossoms and green leaves reached the very top. The grass was green and well-tended, and it appeared to be unaffected by the summer heat. To get that effect, Sesshoumaru must have had the yard watered almost every day. 

Brown eyes wide, Kagome took a deep breath and walked inside.

  


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CotA: Yea! I finally finished another chapter. It took me a while, but it was worth it. ^_^ I'm sorry about how short it is, but I'm dealing with a writer's block at the moment. ^_^;; I really didn't mean to take so long.

Sess-chan: Don't you have something else to say? 

CotA: *smacks the palm of her hand against her forehead* Oh! I almost forgot. I made a deal with Sess-chan. He told me one of his big secrets for Virtual Reality, and in exchange I have to eventually finish this story as well as include a lemon somewhere in it. *sweatdrops* So... um... yeah.

Sess-chan: Indeed. *shakes his head* Since the authoress is speechless, the reviews will immediately be added. They're below.

bad-chick-2: Thanks. I really don't think Inuyasha is a dumbass, but he should have made a different wish on the skikon no tama. 

Purple Witchy Angel: Good. I'm glad you're happy. ^_^ 

Jenna: You're welcome. I don't have a problem with emailing people when I update. And don't feel bad about not reviewing. I tend not to do a whole lot of that. *sweatdrops* I think I should though. 

Knight Star: I know it's a bit sad, and yes, it will have a happy ending. And as for Inuyasha, he's dead. I mentioned that in the first paragraph of the second chappie. 

Dark n light: Ummm... Inuyasha's dead. And you cried? I'm sorry. 

Sakura onto Hitomi: I love your ideas! *hugs Sakura-chan* Thank you so much for them. *dances around the room* I'll try to incorporate them into my story as soon as possible. *grins* Yeah-hah! 

neolannia: I will keep posting, so don't worry... even if it takes me a while to put up the next chapter. 

Raining Fire: Yes, it's going to be a Sess/Kag fic. 

Jupiter's Light: I will post more. 


	5. Chapter 5

Tourniquet 

Chapter Five

Sesshoumaru pointed Kagome in the direction of the kitchen once they were both inside. "Follow the music," he stated over the blaring radio before walking off. _ 'Kami, I hate that music.' _

The raven-haired miko stood there for a few moments, thinking over her situation. She couldn't quite understand what was going on. One of her old enemies, Inuyasha's half brother, was helping her. It just didn't make any sense. Sure, she remembered that he wanted her to answer his questions, but why didn't he just torture it out of her? Had the five-hundred years softened him some? She highly doubted that, but then... why was he helping her? Perhaps both Rin and Samantha had affected him in a good way. _ 'It's certainly possible. Not likely, but possible.' _

Not knowing what else to do, Kagome followed the music to the kitchen. In the bright cheery room with oak cabinets, she found a disaster area. Flour, eggs, and other such ingredients were all over the marble counters and on the floor. The stove top was a mess, and the sink was piled high with dishes. A large blender sitting on the counter, which had once obviously been white, was now brown and yellow from the chocolate and eggs covering most of it. 

A young girl with blond hair and blue eyes twirled about the room, a bowl of something in her arms. Her long tresses had been done up in two buns, one on each side of her head in a Princess Lea look. She was dressed in a long, sapphire blue renaissance dress with bell-ed sleeves and a huge skirt that flowed about her, stopping just above the floor to reveal the fact that she wore white tennis shoes.

"Hello!" the blonde shouted over the music the instant she noticed Kagome, a huge smile on her face. "Another ward of Sessy-pa, huh?"

Kagome blinked, unsure of how to answer. _ 'Sessy-pa must be Sesshoumaru, but am I his ward? I'm not sure. I don't think so.' _ She shook her head. "No, I'm not."

The strangely dressed girl turned down the radio, looking curious. "Alrighty then... what are you doing here?"

The miko's stomach suddenly growled, giving away her current state. "Sesshoumaru saved me and brought me here," she answered. 

"Oh... So you're a rescuee then," the blond girl said, nodding her head in understanding. "Cool. I'm Samantha. Sessy-pa adopted me." 

"Kagome." 

"Okay, Kagome. Since you're obviously hungry, would you like something to eat?" Samantha asked, voice kind and cheery. She seemed to be right at home in the messy kitchen, even when a stranger arrived. 

The black-haired girl nodded her head. "Yeah, sure." 

So, without further ado, Samantha began having Kagome test some new recipes. 

  


* * *

Sesshoumaru sat down in his study, his refuge, his place to think. He wasn't quite sure what to think about Kagome. The miko he remembered from the Feudal Era had been full of fire, courageous, and loyal to the half breed. He couldn't picture the girl in his memory ever wanting to die. She had even fired an arrow at him that had broken his armor. 

For some strange reason, he wanted that miko back. 

He didn't like the new Kagome, the girl who wanted only death and who cried more than needed. It was annoying, and he figured that he had to get the old Kagome back if he ever wanted all his questions answered. The fire and courage had to be in her somewhere, he just knew it; and he was never, ever wrong. 

_'How am I going to bring back the old Kagome though?' _Sesshoumaru wondered. _'Something has to affect her. Let's see here... I remember she had two human friends and a little fox demon with her. I do believe she has friends in this time, so perhaps I should give her a cute pet... after she leaves my house.' _

He twirled a pen in his right arm. _ 'Yes, a pet would do her good, but I have no desire to bring a pathetic creature into my house. But that means I need to find another way to at least start the process.' _

The taiyoukai spun around in his chair to face the window, his golden eyes admiring the beautiful sunshine and green trees. It was an absolutely lovely day, the kind of day children loved to play outside in and the kind of day people went to the park or on walks._ 'Perhaps she should take a walk somewhere beautiful, a place that might remind her a little of the Sengoku Jidai.' _

Sesshoumaru mused for a few minutes longer, trying to think of a good place to take her. _ 'Ah, yes. It'll be perfect. I'll take her tomorrow.' _

With that decided, the taiyoukai decided to check up on the miko. He wanted to see how Samantha reacted around her, but he wasn't worried. The only people Samantha had problems with were those in authority, especially him. 

He stood up and walked to the kitchen. He found almost exactly what he expected. The kitchen was a disaster area, which was the normal condition for the room. The only strange thing was that both Kagome and Samantha were cleaning it up. The miko had some kind of pastry in one hand while she used the other to wipe down the counters. Samantha was attacking the floors with a broom, a smile on her face as she talked to Kagome. They seemed to be getting along just fine. 

"So, do you have any suggestions?" Samantha inquired. 

The miko swallowed the bite of food she had in her mouth. "More sugar maybe?" she said softly. "And perhaps more cinnamon?" 

The blonde smiled. "Excellent. I'll try that with the next batch," she replied. "Now, if only I can remember what I put in the last batch..." She giggled. 

"Amazing," Sesshoumaru commented. "You're actually cleaning up your own mess instead of leaving it to Ah-Un." _ 'Perhaps Kagome's a good influence on her.' _

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it, Sessy-pa. Kagome just thought that it would be a good idea so I don't accidentally ruin whatever I decide to make next," Samantha replied stiffly, giving him a superior look. 

"So, I assume she has eaten?" he asked, glancing over at the miko. 

"Yes," Kagome answered softly. 

The strangely dressed girl shrugged. "A little. I'm making her something as soon as we're done cleaning." 

"I think I'll stay and watch." Sesshoumaru took a few steps into the kitchen. "This should prove to be interesting." 

Samantha stuck her tongue out at him, while Kagome gave a small smile, looking amused. "Whatever, Sessy-pa," the blonde retorted, not looking too pleased. 

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that," the inu youkai responded firmly. 

Kagome stopped wiping off the countertops for a moment. "It's a cute nickname though." 

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a moment, a little surprised. She seemed to be improving already. _'Perhaps they're a good influence on each other.' _

He smirked. "Maybe."

  


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* * *

CotA: Sorry that took so long. I've been lazy lately, at least when it comes to this story. *shrugs* Sess-chan was a big help with this chapter, maybe because he wants me to finish it eventually. 

Zebez: Don't forget, I've been helping too. *grins* And I'll be more than happy to help you with anything else you might need. *winks* 

CotA: Riiiight. Okay. *shakes head* Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'm just fine. 

Sess-chan: You should be rid of the annoying half breed. 

CotA: Sess-chan, be nice. 

Zebez: Since the puppy dog isn't happy at the moment, perhaps you should just skip to the review responses. 

CotA: Sure, why not. Everything's below, and please be nice and review. 

Bad-chick-2: Yeah, Inuyasha is a dumbass. 

Sakura onto Hitomi: I'm confused too. I don't think she did know about Rin. *shrugs* oh well. She knows now.

Sesshomarus-lady12: I know I should write longer chappies but... this is one of those stories where I just can't seem to. Sorry.

Dove of Night: Thanks. I appreciate the compliment.

Forever_faded: No. I'm not writing from my own experience. I just tried my best to write something depressing.

Knight Star: It's okay. Sometimes I skip over stuff too when I read.

Sesshomaru13: I'm glad you think so.

PWA: I will update as soon as I can.

Hyper Person: I don't have a clue how long this is going to be.

Elen Liste Alda: Thank you. And I think I'd be happy too if I was in love w/Sesshoumaru.

Bijin-chan: *huggles* Yes, another ficcy. It's good to see you again.

Manga-luver12: I think you mentioned that you loved Sesshoumaru.

Rin Sessys Girl: *laughs* Such a cute review. I missed you. *giggles* PMS to shorten Sesshoumaru's name... how interesting. *chuckles*

ShadowHeart: Yeah, definitely a worst-case senario. And thanks for the tips. I've never really written angst before, or anything depressing. It's just not really in my nature. I just had the idea, and I had to get it out. It wouldn't leave me alone until I did. *shrugs* I'm like that sometimes. 


	6. Chapter 6

Tourniquet

Chapter Six

"Sessy-pa!" Sam exclaimed, running into Sesshoumaru's study bright and early the next morning. She was dressed in a deep red renaissance dress, the long skirt swishing across the floor. Her blond hair was piled on top of her head in about twenty braids of all different sizes.

Kagome was right behind her, dressed in a pair of black pants and a green shirt. Her hair hung about her shoulders, the soft ebony waves gleaming in the sunlight that streamed through the many windows. She padded quietly into the room, her slippers making almost no noise on the hardwood floor.

Sesshoumaru looked up from the book he had been reading, raising an eyebrow at the young girl. "What is your problem this time?" he inquired, sounding distant. Almost every single morning Sam stormed into his study to complain about something or another.

"We're out of flour," the blonde whined, bracing her hands on his desk so she could lean forward, bringing her face incredibly close to his for intimidation purposes. "How am I supposed to make pancakes without flour?"

The inu youkai was instantly tempted to roll his eyes in annoyance, but he held back. "I believe Bisquick can be used to prepare pancakes," he replied. "There's a box of it in the pantry; use it."

Sam made a face of disgust. "I'm not going to use that nasty stuff. It makes the pancakes taste all wrong," she retorted. "I need flour." She paused, an evil grin appearing on her face. "And eggs and sugar and cinnamon and curry and cilantro and chicken and--"

Sesshoumaru cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Enough. Write out all that you need on a piece of paper. Kagome and I will purchase the items this afternoon."

"But I need flour now!" the young girl grumbled crossing her arms. "I can't make pancakes unless I have flour."

The taiyoukai began to growl softly, his eyes narrowing at his adopted daughter. _'She tests my patience. Very soon, she's going to end up grounded again.' _

Kagome placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Bisquick pancakes are fine. I know the ones made from scratch will be better, but there's nothing wrong with the ones from the mix."

Sam made a face but nodded her head, relenting. "All right." She looked back over at Sesshoumaru. "And you had better get those things at the store today, otherwise..." She smirked, rubbing her hands together. "The torture will begin."

Without another word, the blonde grabbed Kagome's hand and began to drag her out of the room.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, partially in amusement and partially in annoyance. _'Unbelievable. Kagome already has a greater influence on Samantha than I expected. Perhaps it would be a good idea to keep the miko around for a little longer than I originally planned.' _

* * *

Sam smiled as Kagome helped her prepare blueberry pancakes. Things seemed to be going okay with the raven-haired girl, but she wasn't one-hundred percent sure. Kagome hadn't really smiled, nor did she seem happy. Something bad had happened in her past, which obviously still affected her. Thus, Sam wanted to cheer her up and show her that life was good.

"What did you mean by torture?" Kagome inquired softly, briskly stirring the batter. _'Is it even possible to torture Sesshoumaru?' _she wondered curiously. It just didn't seem possible.

The blonde smiled. "Simple. I know that he finds certain things annoying, such as my music, and I'm a master at pranks. If he ticks me off, I simply play loud music all day and pull a few pranks to get even." She chuckled evilly, rubbing her hands together. "I so love getting even."

The miko laughed softly, finding the girl strange but funny. _'She lives with Sesshoumaru and threatens him, but yet... she's not scared of him. She almost seems to look at him like a friend.' _

Sam's smile grew. "You have a nice laugh. You should laugh more often," she commented, turning on her boombox. "Yea! I love this song!" She turned up the volume as high as it could go, not even thinking about the other human being in the room with sensitive ears.

.

**saa samishisa ni kawaita tamashii yo**

**saa tatta ima yuuki wo sakase**

**_{Oh soul, dried up by loneliness,_**

_**right now, let courage bloom!}**_

.

Sam spoon some of the pancake batter onto a hot pan, looking over at Kagome's face. "Why do you always seem so sad?" she inquired, making sure her voice was loud enough to be heard over the music.

Kagome shrugged. "I just... don't have any reason to be happy."

.

**maru de kurai daichi ni saku**

**akai bara no you ni sa**

_**{Just like a red rose**_

**_looming in the dark earth}_**

.

"Why not? There's always a reason to be happy. You're alive, the sun is shining, and there's obviously people who care about you," Sam stated, flipping the pancake. "I care about you, and Sessy-pa must care about you too. He did save you, after all."

"My friends and my family... they're all dead," Kagome replied, her voice barely audible above the music. She didn't break out crying like she had done with Sesshoumaru. For some reason or another, talking about her past made her feel better in a way.

.

**daremo ga jibun to tatakau soldier**

**kurushimi fumikoe ashita wo sagasu**

**Soldier of love**

_**{Everyone is a soldier, fighting with themselves.**_

_**Overcoming suffering, looking for tomorrow.**_

**_Soldier of love}_**

.

"All of my family died when I was still young, but I got over it. I know that they wouldn't want me to mope around just because they passed away. They'd want me to have fun and tease Sessy-pa." Sam put the cooked pancake on a plate and then spooned more batter on the pan. "Everyone has to bear the death of someone they care about at one point or another in their life, but that doesn't mean you can just curl up in a ball and give up. What'd be the fun in that?"

Kagome thought about that for a moment, truly considering the girl's words. 'I did just curl in a ball in give up. _'I'm still doing that in a way. Mom, Grandpa, and Souta wouldn't want me to do this. They'd want me to live and conquer my sadness. They'd want me to be happy,' _she thought, nodding. "You're right. I can't just mope around."

Sam grinned. "Exactly."

.

**aa nemurazu ni nayanda yoake ni**

**aa umareta yo atarashii jibun**

_**{Out of the sleepless, worried dawn,**_

**_a new me has been born}_**

.

"But... I'm still sad, and I still hurt." Kagome sighed softly. _'I don't know what to do anymore. I want the pain to end, but I no longer want to die. My friends and family would want me to keep on living, so how to I stop all the pain?' _

Sam continued fixing pancakes, one eye on the food and the other on the miko. "You'll hurt for a while, but as long as you don't give into it and surrender, you'll eventually overcome it. I can't say how long you'll hurt, but the pain will end sometime or another. Mine ended when I first saw Sessy-pa. Somehow, I just knew that he was there to help me."

Sesshoumaru shook his head as he stood in the kitchen doorway, watching the two girls converse. They seemed to be oblivious to him, which didn't surprise him at all. After all, one was a normal human, and the other was a miko so stooped in depression that she couldn't even use her powers.

.

**kurayami kara noboru asahi**

**ore no mune ni hirogaru**

_**{The morning sun rising out of the darkness**_

**_unfolds in my heart}_**

.

"He'll help you too, no matter how stuck up and arrogant he acts. He has a good heart... under the entire Antarctic Ocean he keeps inside of him." Sam made a face. "He can be a real jerk at times, as you probably know."

Kagome nodded. "Yeah." _'I've probably seen his worst side. It's not like anything could be worse than trying to kill your own brother... unless you actually kill all your friends and a friend's family.' _A tear trickled down her cheek as she thought of her dead friends and family. It just didn't seem fair that they were all there.

.

**anata wo mamotte tatakau soldier**

**ai koso kiseki wo umidasu chikara**

**Soldier of love**

_**{I'm a soldier fighting to protect you.**_

_**Love is the power to give birth to miracles.**_

_**Soldier of Love}**_

**_._**

"Enough crying," Sesshoumaru stated, coming up to Kagome and wiping her tear away. "I've seen enough of that from you to last me a lifetime." He looked at his adopted daughter. "I believe you can handle breakfast on your own. I want to talk to Kagome."

Sam huffed. "But I was talking to her, Sessy-pa! You can't just tweak her away from me like that. It's not fair!" She stomped her foot, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"And since when have I cared what's fair and what's not?" he retorted.

"Since the day Inuyasha got the Tetsusaiga and you got the Tenseiga," Kagome muttered, her voice just barely loud enough for the taiyoukai to hear. Sesshoumaru ignored her.

.

**daremo ga jibun to tatakau soldier**

**kurushimi norikoe ashita wo tsukame**

_**{Everyone is a soldier, fighting with themselves.**_

**_Overcome suffering and grasp tomorrow.}_**

.

"You are irritable at times," Sesshoumaru stated, gently grabbing Kagome's arm. "Now, Sam, turn down that music."

The blonde growled at him. "I don't wanna!"

"Do it," he commanded, beginning to lead Kagome off. He paused at the door. "Oh, and you're beginning to burn breakfast."

.

**anata wo mamotte tatakau soldier**

**ai koso kiseki wo umidasu chikara**

**I'm a soldier**

_**{I'm a soldier fighting to protect you.**_

_**Love is the power to give birth to miracles,**_

**_I'm a soldier}_**

.

Sam turned to the stove, hurriedly trying to save the food as Sesshoumaru walked off with the miko. He led her to his study, shutting the door behind him.

"Have a seat," he recommended, pointing at a chair in front of his desk.

Kagome nodded and obeyed, not really sure whether to trust him or not. "What is it?" she asked, feeling some of her old courage come to her aid. It felt good to have a piece of it back, no matter how small.

"This afternoon, directly after lunch, I'm taking you out of this house to a park. Of course, we'll have to pick up Samantha's things on the way back here, but that seems to be something I cannot avoid." He shrugged. "You will be ready to leave when I say it is time to go."

"Alright, but..." she began to protest, but she shut her mouth. _'I do not want to tick the taiyoukai of the Western Lands off. I'd probably end up being tortured.' _He raised an eyebrow at her, a look of interest in his golden eyes. "Yes, what were you going to say?"

Kagome shook her head. "Nevermind."

"Very well," Sesshoumaru responded. "I have a few more questions for you."

"And if I answer them, you'll leave me alone?" she inquired softly. A part of her wanted to trust him, but another part of her was screaming at her to run away. He was a demon who had tried to kill her and Inuyasha on more than one occasion. He wasn't to be trusted at all.

"Perhaps." He sat down behind his desk. "Now, why did my bother kill your family and friends? He seemed to protect the monk and demon exterminator the last time I saw him."

"He made a wish on the Shikon no Tama to be a full demon. He couldn't handle the change and went insane," Kagome answered, eyes on the ground. She could still see her friends' dead faces, their blood on the ground. She could still remember their screams as they had died. Most of all, she remembered the thick, disgusting smell of all the blood and the fear that had coursed through her body when Inuyasha had looked at her.

"And I suppose he went on a killing spree after that," Sesshoumaru commented, rolling her eyes. "Stupid half-breed." _'He should have known better. After all, his other transformations had not fared well, so why would another one be any different?' _

For some reason, Kagome found herself still talking. Her mouth just kept moving, as if it had a mind of it's own. "He killed Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, and then he went after me." Tears sparkled on her cheeks. "He raped me, and then left me to die. After Kouga rescued me, he killed the whole wolf demon tribe. He even killed my family. He did all this in less than a week."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly. No demon in his right mind would ever rape a woman, especially one who was on his side. It was one of the worst crimes someone could commit because it proved the person had no honor nor respect for even himself. It was a crime punishable by death.

"Their deaths and your defilement were avenged, so you have nothing to worry about. Inuyasha is dead, and you will never see the likes of him again." He laced his fingers together, noticing her tears and ignoring them. She had a right to cry, especially after everything she had been through. "Now, why didn't you defend yourself? You are a miko and more than capable of dealing with such lowly vermin."

"I couldn't kill him," Kagome whispered, more tears streaming down her face.

"Why not?" Sesshoumaru asked, narrowing his eyes at her. _'She's not a weak miko by any means, so even killing a full demon should be easy for her.' _

"I loved him."

* * *

CotA: Here you people go. I've finally finished this chappie, which I must say I'm proud of. ::grins:: It took a while, but it was worth it.

Kali: _'The song is Romantic Soldier from Yu Yu Hakusho.'_

CotA: The stuff in the fancy parenthesis is the translation for all the japanese, just in case you people wanted to know.

Sess-chan: I don't believe they cared.

CotA: ::scowls:: Can't you even let me be delisusional for a little bit?

Sess-chan: You are already insane. Adding anything else to that would be detremental to your health.

Zebez: ::rolls his eyes:: While those two argue, enjoy the review responses below.

Rin Sessys Girl: Of course you've been missed. ::hugs Kagome-chan:: And I'm glad I've improved. I do try hard to at least make my grammer better.

Elen Liste Alda: Okay. So, once again, I have been proved wrong. Go figure. And, unfortunatly, I haven't seen season five. I haven't even gotten to see Inuyasha defeat the big dragon demon yet. ::sighs:: No fair. Oh well. At least that means Sesshoumaru isn't as bad as he wants everyone to think. ::grins::

fire witch: Yes, poor Kagome. But, at least Sesshoumaru came to the rescue.

PWA: Yes, she's getting better already. Kagome has the strange ability to bounce back from anything and everything. It just amazes me what she goes through in the show.

Shadow-mai: Thank you. ::bows:: And I will try my best to keep up the good work. Really, I will.

ivei: Thank you. I will try to update as soon as I possibly can.

li: I will finish this story eventually.

beulah: I will continue it... as soon as I get an idea about where I want to go with it. I have a rough idea, but it'll take me a little to get going on it and work out all the details.

Mademoiselle Morte: Inuyasha's dead, so I can't give him to you. Gomen. Oh, and I already gave Kagome the pills. She says 'thank you.'

Dark-Spirit-Kitsune: ::laughs:: I think it's kinda cute that your kitty wants to type too. I want a kittie! And I think that Inuyasha, if he had to wish for something, would wish for Kagome's happiness and safety. He cares about her so much. Or, he'd wish that Kikyou would go back to the grave with her soul at peace. I'm not really sure which. Personally, I think he'd just let Kagome do the wishing and call it good.

Sesshomaru13: Okay. Okay. Relax. Everything will be just fine, I promise. See? I updated.

aznchicki: I love Tourniquet so much. It's such a pretty song. And you hate Inuyasha now? All because of me? Wow... I never thought I'd do something like that.


	7. Chapter 7

Tourniquet   
Chapter Seven  
  
Sesshoumaru stared at Kagome for a moment, golden eyes wide with surprise. 'She loved him?' he mused, a small smile appearing on his face. The idea was silly, mainly because he didn't see how anyone could have loved his younger, stupid, annoying brother.  
  
"Do you still love him?" he asked the miko, a small amount of curiosity in his voice.  
  
Kagome shrugged. "I guess a part of me still loves the Inuyasha I grew accustomed to--the hanyou that always protected me." She paused. "But after everything he did, I can't love him like I used to. Now, I just pity him and hope my forgiveness is enough to keep him out of hell."  
  
"I doubt your forgiveness nor anyone else's could save him from that fate." The dog demon stood up, beginning to walk toward the door to his study. He paused briefly by the female's chair. "He merely received what he deserved. No demon would stoop so low as to kill his friends and then rape a woman, even a human woman."  
  
Right then, the miko launched herself at Sesshoumaru, her arms wrapping around his waist as she cried into his chest. Ever since she had returned from the Sengoku Jidai, she had been alone. There hadn't been a single person to listen to her full story, not a single person who would have understood. The taiyoukai knew everything, and he even sided with her somewhat. In his own way, he had even offered her comfort, the one thing she desperately needed.  
  
"I didn't want them to die!" she cried out, her tears soaking his shirt. "Why did he make that wish? Why did he kill them?!"  
  
Sesshoumaru stood there perfectly still as she hugged him tightly. He wasn't quite sure what to do. Sure, he knew how to comfort children, but she was a completely different story. Kagome was a grown woman who was grieving over the deaths of her friends and family. He was used to comforting small children after a nightmare.  
  
"Why did he kill them?" Kagome whispered as her sobs quieted.  
  
Awkwardly, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Because he was insane. He thought that if he became a full demon a different way, the effect on his brain would be different. He was wrong, and you saw just how wrong."  
  
The female was quiet for a while, mulling over his answer. "Do you miss him?" she inquired after a moment. "Do you miss your brother?"  
  
"No," Sesshoumaru replied. "You can't miss what you never had." He removed himself from her embrace. "Now, dry your tears. I believe breakfast is ready." Then, without another word, he walked off.  
  
Kagome blinked, wiping away tears. 'He can't miss Inuyasha because... he never had Inuyasha as a brother? Did he never spend any time with Inuyasha at all? Poor Sesshoumaru. It must hurt to have had a brother and never to have been close to him. He must feel lonely at times.'  
  
She went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face before going out to the kitchen. As soon as Samantha saw her, the blonde was all smiles as she presented her pancakes. Then, the two girls went to the dining room, finding Sesshoumaru already seated. He looked up at the girls, not giving Kagome a second glance.  
  
"I have a list all ready for you, Sessy-pa," Sam stated as she poured drinks. "I hope you're prepared to explore the wonderful grocery store." She grinned. "And Kagome, don't help him. I don't think he knows where anything is, so it'll be funny to watch him search. He's always sent out Ah-Un or Jaken to do the grocery shopping before."  
  
'Jaken grocery shopping? Why send such a smelly toad demon shopping?' The miko blinked. "I remember Jaken. How is the stupid, annoying twerp?"  
  
Sam laughed as Sesshoumaru smirked. "Good. I'm glad someone else shares my opinion of him," she commented. "And he's still alive and kicking, much to my annoyance. I've never met anyone so irksome. 'Sesshoumaru-sama, this Jaken is here to serve you.' 'I only obey Sesshoumaru-sama,'" she mocked, making a face. Kagome giggled. "He's probably the most annoying person I've ever met. It's a good thing Sessy-pa has him out on some business right now. I like it better when Jaken's gone. He smells."  
  
Sesshoumaru refrained from commenting, mainly because he saw no reason to either defend or insult the toad demon. Jaken was annoying, and he did smell, so the dog demon often found himself sending Jaken out on long trips just to give his sensitive nose a break.  
  
Kagome smiled. "He does smell. That was one of the first things I noticed about him," she agreed, taking a bite out of the pancakes. Sam was an awesome cook, even when it wasn't from scratch.  
  
"Good, huh?" Samantha grinned smugly when she noticed the miko's expression. "I added a few things to the batter to make them taste better."  
  
"You did an amazing job," the raven-haired girl replied honestly. Strangely enough, she was feeling much better, and it was probably because of Sesshoumaru. Simply hugging him and crying had worked wonders. Her heart still hurt, but she was recovering. "I'm sure Sesshoumaru is proud of you."  
  
The taiyoukai mentally shook his head. The miko was being silly, that was for sure. He couldn't have cared in the least what Sam had taken an interest in as long as she hadn't decided to be some lazy bum. He didn't want to have to support her for the rest of his life, and she didn't want to rely on him.  
  
Sam snorted. "I doubt it. I think Sessy-pa's just happy I'm not some couch potato, so he keeps on buying me cooking supplies so I can become a chef. That way, he'll be able to live in peace once again when I leave." She grinned, looking over at him. "Of course, he should know that I'll always come back to visit, just to annoy him."  
  
"I would prefer it if you would cease calling me such a childish name," Sesshoumaru stated, his golden gaze cool and hard. He meant business, mainly because he was sick and tired of being called something so demented.  
  
"But Sessy-pa, Kagome loves it when I call you by that. She thinks it's cute, and I'm sure she'd be hurt if I was no longer able to call you that. Do you want to hurt your guest?" the blonde retorted evenly, used to the familiar argument.  
  
He growled in annoyance. "Her opinion on the nickname is none of your concern, so you will stop using that name and call me Sesshoumaru," he ordered stiffly.  
  
Kagome looked back and forth between the two, her brown eyes curious. For some reason or another, she had a feeling that the conversation was an old one. 'Why does he hate it so much? Doesn't he realize that the nickname is Samantha's way to show affection? She looks up to him, she really does,' she thought.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, I think the nickname isn't a bad thing. It's a way for Samantha to show how close you are to her. Most people call their closest friends and family by nicknames," the miko explained, trying to diffuse the argument. Even if it was normal, she was used to ending fights. She had seen so many between Inuyasha and Shippou that it wasn't even funny.  
  
Sam settled down, blinking in surprise. "Okay..." She paused. "But you really should call me Sam. My full name's too long."  
  
Kagome smiled at the young girl. "Alright, Sam."  
  
The taiyoukai rolled his eyes, not really sure what to do with the two girls. If what Kagome had said was true, then Samantha was acting like a normal ningen in calling him such a ridiculous name. 'I might just have to bear it for a little bit longer,' he mused. 'And did Kagome not make a comment earlier that the name was... cute or some such?' He mentally shook his head. 'It doesn't matter.'  
  
"If you must persist in calling me such a idiotic name, then make sure to do so only in private." His golden eyes flashed in annoyance as he stood up. Then, he glanced down at the miko. "Kagome, we leave at one for the park. Be ready."  
  
Kagome nodded her head. "Okay." The park sounded like fun, as strange as that seemed to her. Soon, she would be going to a park with a killer from the Sengoku Jidai. 'I really need to see a psychologist,' she thought, shaking her head sadly as she resumed eating. 'I think I've gone insane.'

* * *

At one in the afternoon, Kagome was standing by the front door, ready to go. She hadn't changed clothes, but she had pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, holding back the locks with a green ribbon. Gently tapping her foot, she waited for Sesshoumaru.  
  
'And he told me not to be late. It seems that he should take his own advice,' she thought with a brief smile. With every encounter with Sesshoumaru, she felt more relaxed around him. He had certainly seemed to have... mellowed out since the Feudal Era, but he was still the same in many ways. 'He's still arrogant and full of himself.'  
  
"If you will stop that incessant tapping of your foot, then we can depart," Sesshoumaru stated as he suddenly came up behind her.  
  
Kagome jumped, her heart rate rapidly increasing as adrenaline coursed through her bloodstream. Spending so much time in the Feudal Era had given her a certain reaction to surprises--her body always assumed it was an attack.  
  
"Go get in the car," the dog demon ordered. "I will follow momentarily."  
  
Huffing in annoyance at the arrogance in his voice, she did as he ordered, climbing into the car in the driveway. As she sat there, she easily remembered all the times she had become frustrated with Inuyasha for his attitude. In her mind, she saw him picking on Shippou, insulting her cooking, and even trying to smash her well. She recalled him constantly comparing her to Kikyou, yelling whenever he didn't get his way, and shouting at Miroku whenever the monk had tried to touch her butt or actually succeeded.  
  
Kagome wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ease the ache in her heart. She suddenly hurt even worse than before, and she knew it was her own fault. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. 'I am not going to cry. I am not going to cry,' she repeated over and over in her mind, but despite her best intentions, a few tears slowly trailed down her cheeks.  
  
Sesshoumaru climbed into the car, almost immediately noticing the miko's position. She had curled in on herself once again, tears on her face. He mentally sighed. 'She is more trouble than she is worth,' he thought, slightly shaking his head. None of his other rescuees had ever caused him so many problems.  
  
He almost let her sit there and cry, but for some reason, a part of him just wouldn't let him do that. "Kagome, enough," he ordered, reaching over to grab her chin. He forced her to look at him. "My worthless brother is not worth the pain you are putting yourself through. He never was."  
  
She blinked at him for a moment before latching onto the arm and hugging it to her chest in a reflexive manner. Suddenly, she didn't hurt so bad, and she even felt better with the taiyoukai near. It didn't matter if Sesshoumaru looked so much like Inuyasha or that he had tried to kill her before. What mattered was that he had saved her and was continuing to help her. He was her new protector, and she could depend on him.  
  
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her, gently trying to pull his arm from her grasp. Strangely enough, she was far stronger than he had originally given her credit for. He couldn't get her to let go.  
  
He mentally sighed again. "Kagome, release my arm. If you wish to go to the park and the grocery store, then I need it to drive."  
  
Kagome nodded her head, unwrapping her arms from around his and wiping her face. "Alright. Let's go."

* * *

CotA: I'm sorry this chappie took so long. As you people know, I've been busy with work and such, and I'm usually tired after working. Try to cut me a little slack, okay? Arigatou. Well, since my muses are all sleeping, I'm gonna go straight to the review responses.  
  
hissori tenshi no benishi: I'm sorry, but I'm fighting a major writer's block right now. I don't apologize for the cliffie though. It's just how I write, and it seems to keep people interested.  
  
Shadow-mai: Yes, I can do that to you, and I know that I'm evil. ::grins:: I'm proud of it too.  
  
demon-lulu: Yes, Inuyasha can be a bastard at times, and you'll eventually find out who killed him. Promise.  
  
White Fanged Wolf: You're right; Kagome's very strong. She always surprises me on the show by how resilient she is.  
  
Kagome: I will try to keep on improving. And I think Sesshoumaru is going soft, the hottie. Oh, and if you want an answer out of him, try this. ::hands Kagome-chan a vial full of a clear liquid:: It's a truth serum. If he drinks this, he'll truthfully answer any question(s) you ask him. ::grins:: Have fun!  
  
Jasmine Fields: Thanks, although I don't think it was much of a slap in the face. Maybe more of a surprise. ::shrugs::  
  
Nanashi Shisou: I don't think I'm a fanfic master. I'm far from it, actually. I just enjoy writing. Thanks for the little paragraph, but I don't think I'll use it. No offense, but it doesn't really fit my writing style. ::shugs:: As good as the paragraph is, it would seem out of place in one of my chappies. Sorry, and thanks again. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Sesshoumaru was pleased when Kagome didn't have another crying fit the entire way to the store. She actually remained calm and quiet, simply staring out the window. He enjoyed the little peace he had, thanking kami that the girl had stopped her crying. He did not like tears at all, and the different girls he had adopted over the years had made him deal with the salt water too much.

"I used to go to school there," the miko randomly announced, staring at a school. "I missed so many days, and grandpa always came up with the strangest excuses for me."

Without even looking at the girl he just knew that she was buried in memories. She would probably start reliving them out loud now that she had started talking.

"Hojou always gave me little gifts when he could… things he thought would help me get better. He was always so sweet to me, no matter how many times I stood him up."

As far as Sesshoumaru was concerned, Hojou sounded like a much better person than Inuyasha, at least as far as Kagome was concerned. Of course, if the boy was also dense enough not to get the point after being stood up once or twice, the miko probably deserved better. She needed someone strong enough to protect her, as it had been proven the instant Inuyasha had gone insane.

"After school was out he was still sweet to me. Even now, he still visits, dropping by food and such." She smiled softly. Hojou had been one of the most constant things in her life, although she didn't think he was interested in her anymore—just concerned. "He's been a good friend."

Sesshoumaru was pleased with the faint smile on her lips. Kagome was improving and quickly for that matter. Now hopefully she would keep improving.

"You may visit him sometime if you wish, as long as I drop you off and pick you up," the dog demon stated, his eyes on the road. He was not going to give her the chance to wander off and possibly commit suicide again.

"No, thank you. He… is rather oblivious to many things. Hojou doesn't know anything more than my family died." She sniffled a little. "You're the only one who knows everything."

"Perhaps."

The statement caught Kagome by surprise. "What? I've only told you what happened in the past. Everyone else who knew about that is dead." It was impossible for anyone else to know the whole story. The only people she had been close to in the past were dead. Shippou, Sango, Miroku, Kouga… Inuyasha.

"No."

"That's not possible though." She frowned, but a tiny spark of hope formed inside of her. If only she had her friends back, even if it was only one of them, she knew she'd feel better. She missed them all so much.

"This Sesshoumaru is never wrong." His voice was firm, leaving no room for any arguments. "You will see tonight."

Stunned, Kagome sat in silence, her mind going a mile a minute. Who was alive? Who else knew about her? She highly doubted that the taiyoukai had meant Jaken. The annoying toad demon didn't seem to count as a person in Sesshoumaru's eyes.

The miko remained pretty much silent during the shopping trip, spending her time deep in thought. She followed Sesshoumaru around, finding out that he seemed to know where everything was just fine.

'_There's no way either Sango or Miroku made it through the well or lived until now. I do hope that they're together in heaven, though… and that Miroku stopped groping every pretty girl in sight.' _She smiled again, remembering his wandering hands. The monk had always been getting into trouble—conning people, saying that they needed their home exorcised; or his constant grabbing of girls' rears, including Sango's. He had been smacked more times than she could count, but she had a feeling that Sango, at the very least, kind of enjoyed the attention… to a certain extent.

"Is there anything you need while we are here?"

"Huh?" Kagome snapped out of her thoughts, looking up into golden eyes that captured her attention like nothing else. So like Inuyasha's eyes but still so different… still so pretty.

The wonderfully colored eyes narrowed. "I do not wish to make another trip here anytime soon, so do you need anything?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm fine."

"Very well." He finished the shopping, had everything rung up, and swiped a bright, shiny credit card.

Kagome smiled and almost laughed. The great, almighty, supreme taiyoukai of the western lands had a credit card. It seemed he had accepted the changing times without any problems. Of course, the changes had been gradual, which had probably helped. The western lord hadn't been known for his flexibility.

Sesshoumaru noticed her reaction. "Technology has its place and uses."

That was as much as he was going to explain and she knew it. In some ways, Sesshoumaru was very much like his younger brother, especially now that he had softened a little with time. Five hundred years really could do a lot to a person.

"Yes, it does," she agreed mildly.

He nodded, that small movement revealing just how regal and elegant he was. "Return to the car. I will follow shortly."

Kagome didn't really feel like arguing; her fighting spirit still hadn't returned. So, she did as he ordered.

Sesshoumaru frowned as she walked away. Kagome was so distant and unresponsive, not at all like the woman he remembered from the past, and he had a perfect memory. The miko had shown an amazing fighting spirit and so much willpower. Just to have been his demented younger brother's traveling companion must have taken huge amounts of tolerance and spirit.

Grabbing the bags he went to the car, finding the miko there. She was definitely obedient. After placing the groceries in the trunk, he unlocked the car. "Get in." She followed the simple order without protest.

He knew he would have to do something about her meek attitude soon. Wallowing in guilt or depression (or whatever she had sunk into) was bad… and annoying. Hopefully the trip to the park would help.

About midway on the trip, Kagome noticed they weren't heading back to his house. "Where are we going?" She had to admit, she was curious. Sesshoumaru had not once mentioned a little side trip.

"Patience is a virtue," he replied.

"That's not an answer," she muttered under her breath.

"My hearing is not as pathetic as my half brother's was." His response was short, curt, and cold.

She sniffled softly but remained silent. It hurt to hear Inuyasha insulted, even now. She still cared about him, as strange as it was. He had been a huge part of her life for years… she couldn't just stop considering him a friend now, despite all he had done to her and her friends and family.

"A hanyou's hearing is only half as good as a full youkai's." As usual, the explanation was short, crisp, and to the point. Kagome couldn't help but wonder if he ever beat around the bush. She doubted if he even knew how.

Silence reigned until Sesshoumaru stopped the car, causing her to blink in surprise. They were at a park… a very old park. It looked so peaceful with the giant trees, the bright flowers, and the scattering of bushes. All in all, it reminded her of the Sengoku Jidai.

Without being told, she got out of the car and began looking around, feeling at home and peaceful. She placed one of her tiny hands on a tree, sensing Sesshoumaru come up behind her. He was keeping an eye on her, trying to keep her same, and for some reason, having him near made her feel better.

"Thank you." Her whispered words carried back to him easily.

"You needed to get out," he replied. "Wallowing in depression is never worthy of your time."

Kagome wasn't sure if she should thank him or not. He was still too arrogant for his own good. That seemed to be a common occurrence in youkai, especially in full-blooded ones. So, instead of replying, she simply began walking, the taiyoukai tailing behind her.

The walk was calming and peaceful—exactly what she needed. It lifted her mood and made her smile. Her friends and family were dead, but there was nothing she could do about that. She needed to move on and continue to live. No one wanted her dead… not even Sesshoumaru.

She closed her eyes, and for the first time in weeks, sent out some of her power. It blanketed the park, revealing to her that Sesshoumaru wasn't the only youkai still alive. She sensed other humans, but strangely enough, no mixed breeds… no hanyous.

"No hanyous," Kagome said quietly, figuring Sesshoumaru would explain.

"Not here, no. They have trouble hiding their true forms, and this is pure youkai territory." He sounded a little bored.

'_Nice to know the tolerance of hanyous hasn't changed,' _she thought sarcastically, continuing to walk. She stopped dead in her tracks when she came across one very familiar person. Her eyes widened drastically and her skin drained of all color, leaving her deathly pale. She couldn't move, couldn't think. There was no way she could. Her mind was frozen in pure fear.

"No…" Kagome whimpered.

Sesshoumaru frowned, smelling her fear. It was almost overpowering. He came up to stand beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What is your problem, miko?" When she didn't respond, he followed her line of sight.

A man with long black hair and violet eyes stood a little ways away. He was dressed in a red and white shirt and black jeans. For some reason he couldn't put his clawed finger on, the man looked and smelled familiar.

"Who is he?" The question hung in the air for a moment or two before Kagome finally answered.

"Inuyasha."

* * *

AN: Sorry this took so long. I had this thing sitting around on my computer forever. :shakes head: I'll try to get the next chappie out quicker, but I'm at school again, and my schedule is hectic. I promise to do my best though.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Yes, I know this is highly overdue. I'm sorry, but I've been busy. I will eventually finish this story, but it'll take a while. Try not to be too impatient with me.

Tourniquet

Chapter Nine

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. The man certainly had a small resemblance to his deceased younger half brother. The hair was just as long, and the face shape was the same, but the smell was different. It was similar, but still different. His eye and hair color were both drastically different that the Inuyasha he had known, and the black-haired man smelled completely human.

It took Sesshoumaru a moment, but he came up with a simple reason as to why this man looked like Inuyasha—it was his reincarnation. Before his trip to the park, Sesshoumaru had possessed no positive or negative feelings toward reincarnations. They were simply things to be ignored, like most of the humans. Of course, the taiyoukai suddenly changed his mind. A half demon Inuyasha had been annoying, but a full human Inuyasha would be unbearable to deal with. He would probably be just as arrogant with absolutely nothing to back it up. At the very least the hanyou had possessed a little power to back things up.

"Do not worry about him. This reincarnation of Inuyasha is inconsequential," he stated, gently but firmly grasping Kagome's shoulder and leading her away. "Now come. I believe you have had enough fresh air."

"But… but…" Kagome sputtered, unsure of what to think. Her heart partially ached to go talk to the human Inuyasha, but the pain had also flared up. She felt confused and unsure about what to do. It was nice that Sesshoumaru was deciding things for her, but she wanted to choose her own path. She wanted to make her own decisions.

He looked down at her, golden eyes cold. "You are an idiot if you think that you are in any condition to speak to him." He continued to pull her along. "You would do best if you would simply follow me home."

"All… alright," she whispered, walking a little faster to keep up with his pace. "Going home sounds good."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head at her, deciding to change the subject. _'It will not do well for her mind to linger over the thought of Inuyasha.' _ "My guest should arrive in a few hours. Be prepared, and when I call you to meet my guest, do not dawdle. I will take it ill if you do."

"Who is your guest?" Kagome asked. _'I think he's trying to distract me to keep me from crying. I can't blame him. I have cried a lot in front of him.'_

"You will see soon enough." He released her as he reached his car, unlocking the car doors. _'As long as she keeps trying to figure out who is coming, she should not cry and wallow in depression,' _he thought, starting up the car as Kagome buckled her seatbelt. _'I have never seen anyone cry so much. I cannot say that her friends and family are not worth her tears, but it is time she started to get over her sadness. If they were still alive, I'm sure they would be as tired of her tears as I am.' _

She frowned. "Would you just tell me?"

"It is incentive."

Kagome blinked. Incentive? Incentive for what? To stay with him or to not commit suicide. Whatever it was incentive for, she was sure it was working. Sighing, she gave up. "Alright. Alright. I'll try to be a good girl and be patient."

"Good."

'_He really doesn't like to talk much. That much about him hasn't changed. Oh well.' _She turned her attention to the rushing scenery. It was certainly more entertaining than Sesshoumaru was being. She continued to stare out the window as they went down the street Sesshoumaru lived on and even while they pulled into the driveway.

Purely out of habit, Kagome grabbed a few bags of groceries, and to her surprise Sesshoumaru grabbed the rest. Quirking an eyebrow at him, she opted to keep quiet when he merely glared back. Obviously he did not want to be remembered for doing good deeds or for being helpful.

They walked in the door and were immediately greeted by Samantha.

"Oh good, you two are home. I've been needing the groceries so I could make dinner. Some guy is here to see you, Sessy-pa, and he's most difficult to entertain. He's not interested at all in cooking. So boring." Sam took the groceries from Sesshoumaru's grasp. "I do hope you remembered everything."

"I do not forget things, unlike you," Sesshoumaru replied, tone obviously uninterested. "Kagome will help you put away things." Then, he walked off.

Sam rolled her eyes as her and Kagome went to the kitchen. "Oh dear Kami. I don't see why he can't help us," she whined. "That guy can't be all that important. All he wanted to talk about was why the house smelled the way it did, and why it smelled like someone he used to know. He wanted to know who lived here. I told him it was none of his business."

The miko gave the girl a curious look. "Won't Sesshoumaru be mad that you were rude to his guest?" she asked.

The young girl snorted. "He was rude first," she stated simply. "I have never had someone insult me so much in my life. 'Cooking is unrelated to why I'm here,' he says. 'I don't see why you're so interested in such a boring subject,' he says. By Kami, I almost punched him."

Kagome laughed. "Almost, huh?"

"Yes, almost," Sam replied. "And for some reason, he kept calling you his woman. I've never met someone without a brain, but I have now. You can't possibly be his woman, since I know for a fact that you wouldn't be here if you were."

"Oh my… it's not possible." Kagome went rushing out of the kitchen.

Sam blinked. "Or I could be wrong and you could be his woman." She shrugged, continuing to put away the groceries so she could get to baking. "I'll ask later."


	10. Chapter 10

Tourniquet

Chapter Ten

Kagome, to her credit, did not run into the living room, despite her desire to. Doubts crept into her mind, and she couldn't keep her mood from plummeting. Kouga was dead; she had watched him die. After all his tender care and help, he had suffered horribly. Maybe he had some relative out there who had survived who now considered her his woman since Kouga had done so.

Standing outside the living room, she thought seriously about everything. If Kouga really was dead, and it was just some relative, would she even want to see him? Just seeing the reincarnation of Inuyasha had affected her strongly. While Kouga hadn't been as important to her and hadn't hurt her, she still cared about him. Still, she was not going to be a coward and stand outside forever.

Slowly, Kagome walked into the room, finding Sesshoumaru sitting in a recliner and a familiar, black-haired wolf demon sitting on the couch in jeans and a polo shirt. She stood there in shock as Kouga turned his head, smiling his usual smile.

"So has the dog turd's older brother been taking good care of you?" he asked, standing up, his pale blue eyes sparkling. He was thrilled to see her alive, although he didn't seem to be questioning the fact that she was alive. Maybe he chalked it up to the fact that she was a miko; she didn't know or care. One of her friends was still alive.

"Kouga!" She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him. She couldn't help her wide smile or the tears of happiness that sprung to her eyes. "You're alive!"

Laughing, Kouga held her close, swinging her around. "It's good to know that you haven't forgotten me after all these years." Setting her down, he turned to Sesshoumaru. "Thanks for taking care of my woman, but don't think you'll get to keep her. Once I'm done visiting all my businesses, I'm taking her home with me."

"We will see." The inu youkai's tone was bland and uncaring, but Kagome could sense that he was irritated a little. Maybe he found Kouga as annoying as Inuyasha had found him.

"I'm not your woman, Kouga," Kagome reminded him, but she couldn't be angry with him. He was alive, blessedly alive, so how could she be mad. "But how are you still alive? I saw you die." She frowned, sadness entering her eyes as memories surged.

"He had an alliance with me," Sesshoumaru explained simply.

Kagome looked at the inu youkai, confused. "That doesn't explain anything."

Kouga, thankfully, decided to extend on what Sesshoumaru had said. "We have an alliance. Sesshoumaru was coming to see me to work out the details since Naraku was dead. He came not too long after Inuyasha attacked, and he figured a dead ally would do him no good, so he used his sword." He grinned, flashing his very white fangs. "I never expected you to be alive though. I was sure that we hadn't bought enough time for you to escape. My clan and I mourned you."

"I mourned you as well," she replied, hugging him tightly to her. He felt gloriously real in her arms, and instead of crying, she felt at peace. Someone had survived besides her. She hadn't lost everyone important to her, and that gave her strength. "How are Ginta and the others doing?"

"They're doing fine, and they'll be glad to hear that you're alive." Kouga guided her to the couch and sat her down, sitting down next to her. "You'll get to see them once I take you home with me."

"She can not leave until I deem she is ready," Sesshoumaru stated, golden eyes cold. He didn't like the idea of Kagome leaving just yet, especially with Kouga. He knew that the wolf demon would take good care of her, but Sesshoumaru preferred the idea of Kagome staying with him. Besides, Kouga didn't have as nice of a house as he did, nor did he have any human females to keep Kagome company. "And Samantha would miss her."

The miko smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving for a while, and if I do, it'll be to go home," she replied softly. "I can't abandon the shrine forever."

Kouga grinned broadly. He could handle living on a shrine as long as it was with Kagome. "We can live at the shrine if you'd rather do that than go away to my place." He felt he was being very noble, offering to go live at her house instead of insisting she stay as his. He had matured in the last 500 years, and he understood that Kagome had rights, just like all the other females. She was still his woman though, until she thoroughly denied it. She hadn't done that yet, so she was still his. Her playful protesting that she wasn't his didn't count.

Kagome didn't even know what to say to that. Inuyasha had always spoken up right then to say that she wasn't going anywhere with him. She didn't want Kouga to think she was going to marry him or anything, but she didn't think Sesshoumaru would dissuade him. She had no desire to move in with him or have him move in with her, but she wasn't sure how to turn him down without hurting his feelings.

"I don't think I'm ready to share the shrine yet or to move anywhere else." There. That was as polite as she could make it. Kouga was special to her, but she did not want to marry him any more than she did Hojou.

"I will wait for you to be ready, then," the wolf demon assured her.

'_He really can be sweet,' _she thought. _'I had forgotten just how sweet.' _ She mentally sighed, knowing that no matter what she said he wouldn't be dissuaded from pursuing her.

"We have business matters to discuss, Kouga, and I do not have all night," Sesshoumaru reminded him, eyes looking dangerous. "Do not make me waste my valuable time."

Kouga grumbled for a moment, and then conceded. "Alright, fine." He turned to Kagome. "I will see you again soon, I promise. Don't let Sesshoumaru walk all over you."

"I won't," she promised.

"Good." He kissed her hand and began to walk out of the room. "If we have to do this, let's do this in your study; it'll be less distracting," he said to Sesshoumaru. The taiyoukai merely nodded stiffly and walked off to his study, manner cold and hinting toward violence.

Kagome blinked as they left. "I think I just missed something."


	11. Chapter 11

Tourniquet

Chapter Eleven

Sesshoumaru glared at Kouga as he shut the door to his study. As formal as always, the inuyoukai sat down behind his desk, knowing the formidable picture he made. Kouga chose to lounge in a chair, always looking casual. The wolf demon just couldn't seem to ever look too businesslike.

"You will not call Kagome your woman in my presence ever again," he stated, voice calm, but his eyes spoke of violence the wolf youkai would never recover from.

Kouga almost shivered at the look in Sesshoumaru's eyes. "She's my woman though," he said bluntly. No dog demon was going to take his woman from him, especially not some taiyoukai.

"Not while she's in my house," Sesshoumaru stated. "She is under my protection, and you calling her your woman distresses her. Her distress annoys me, as it causes more tears. If you cannot act with honor at my house, do not return. I will not tolerate your actions again." He was toying with different ideas on how to kill Kouga without anyone, especially Kagome, finding out. She was happy to have a friend back, but Sesshoumaru was starting to regret bringing Kouga back to life. The wolf had been more useful dead, and definitely less annoying.

"If it distressed her, she would tell me." The wolf demon felt nervous, but he wouldn't show it. He had to continue to act casual; he definitely wouldn't let Sesshoumaru walk all over him. Kagome was his to keep. "And Kagome does more than tolerate my actions." He grinned wolfishly, letting Sesshoumaru think whatever he wanted. After all, the miko was his woman, not Sesshoumaru's woman.

That hint was enough to turn the dog demon's eyes red. "You court death, wolf demon." The statement was so empty of emotion that Kouga cringed. Sesshoumaru smirked, showing off his long fangs. "Do not think I won't kill you here in my study. My acid will leave no trace of you. I may have to replace the rugs, but it will be an insignificant loss."

"Dear Kami, I didn't know you were this attached to humans!" Kouga snapped, and instantly regretted it. A moment later, he found himself pinned to a wall by his neck. He had not expected Sesshoumaru to react so strongly. If he had hit on Samantha, he doubted that Sesshoumaru would have even spared a second glance. Wolf demons were known for picking one mate for life and being extremely loyal. However, Kagome seemed to be special to him. Maybe something had occurred in the past between them that he didn't know about. Whatever was going on, Kouga wanted out of the house and away from Sesshoumaru.

Claws dug lightly into his neck, and Kouga swallowed nervously. For the first time in his entire life, he knew that Sesshoumaru would rather have him dead than alive. He hadn't expected so much power, proving that Sesshoumaru's power had increased since the last time he had used it. That thought was rather scary, and he suddenly understood that there wasn't anyone alive who would be able to stop Sesshoumaru if the dog demon wanted to kill someone. The only one with enough power would be Kagome, and her heart was too bright and pure for her to kill someone unless they had done something beyond redemption.

All that translated into one, small, tiny point. Kouga was dead meat.

Sesshoumaru tightened his grip around the wolf demon's neck, the claws on his other hand glowing a sickly green. "Do not anger me further, wolf." He couldn't remember being so angry before. He had disliked Inuyasha, but he was beginning to hate Kouga. Kagome was not Kouga's woman. She wasn't anyone's woman. She was his rescuee, and he would not let some idiot try and take her away before she was fully healed and back to normal. Until she was back to her normal self, she was his to protect, and his alone.

The anger was thick enough that Kouga could feel it pressing against his skin. Or was that Sesshoumaru's youki? Either way, he was scared. Very scared. Even the youngest demon would be able to feel the power throbbing in the air. It was like the entire room, even the air he was breathing, was under Sesshoumaru's command, and any second the dog demon could command the air to crush his lungs.

"For cheering up Kagome, I will let you live," the taiyoukai said, eyes still red but voice calmer. His power slowly lowered to a more normal level. "Next time I see you, you would do well to act with more honor, or I will remove all ways you have of truthfully making Kagome your woman. Hands, tongue, and dick." He released the annoyance and walked back to his desk. "Go, now, and do not let Kagome see you leave."

Without saying anything, Kouga turned tail and ran out of the house. No one saw him leave, not even Kagome.

----------------------------

Kagome was thoroughly disappointed when she didn't get to talk to Kouga before he left. She asked Sesshoumaru about Kouga at dinner, and she had coldly been told that Kouga had important business matters to attend to and would not be returning for a while. The miko hadn't liked the inu youkai's phrasing at all, and if she were the suspicious type, she would have sworn that Sesshoumaru had purposely scared off Kouga. However, she didn't see any reason why Sesshoumaru would scare off Kouga. They were allies, and while Kouga was annoying, he wasn't mean or evil. He was actually really nice and sweet when he wanted to be. Still, Kagome got the feeling that Sesshoumaru did not like the wolf demon.

Mentally shrugging, Kagome got ready for bed, changing into pajamas and curling up in bed. Perhaps Kouga would visit again soon. While he was annoying, and he obviously hadn't given up on her, she had missed him.

Yawning, she curled up under the covers, and let sleep claim her.

------------------------

Kagome awoke screaming, not even realizing that she was screaming someone's name. Her power flared out, searching for something stable, anything solid to fight back the horrible nightmare, the horrible memory. She had experienced Inuyasha's wish and transformation all over again. She had gone through everyone's deaths and the rape over and over again, each time more bloody and violent. She had finally forced herself awake, her heart beating fast from terror.

She launched herself out of bed and threw open her door. Before she knew or understood what she was doing, she was running down the hall and up a flight of stairs. Nothing felt real enough to her. The carpet under her bare feet, the painted wall her hands touched, nothing felt substantial. It was like the real world had become a dream, and the only real thing was her nightmare.

Throwing open another door, Kagome rushed in and ran to the bed, sobbing and shaking. Finally she noticed that she was calling out Sesshoumaru's name, and then she was curled up in his lap as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

He frowned down at her, her face pressed to his bare chest. What had upset her so badly? If the wolf demon had actually talked to her before leaving, he was going to hunt the bastard down and kill him. With Kagome being a more pressing issue, he pushed that thought to the back of his mind and put his mind to comforting the young woman. He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her tangled hair. _'She must not have slept well to turn her hair into such a mess,_' he thought, although he did note that her hair was still silky and fragrant.

Kagome wrapped her arms around him, relaxing a little. He felt real, much more real than her nightmare. He smelled like the woods of the Sengoku Jidai, and she could feel the warmth of him. Concentrating on Sesshoumaru, the horrible memory faded to the background, losing form and substance. The nightmare lost its hold on reality, freeing her.

"What has upset you?" Sesshoumaru asked when she had calmed down. She was still shaking badly, but her tears had slowed to a trickle.

"I had a nightmare. I remembered everything that Inuyasha did," Kagome replied softly, clinging to him. "It was horrible, and it kept repeating again and again, worse each time." She forced the nightmare back a little more, forcing herself to think of nothing but the inu youkai she was talking to. _'He feels so warm, and his skin's so smooth.'_ He was turning out to be a very good distraction.

"It was merely a dream, a memory of yours," he told her softly, his deep voice vibrating in his chest and through her. "It will fade with time. Months or even weeks from now, it will seem like nothing."

"I hope so." Tears continued to run down her cheeks as she nodded, rubbing her face against his chest. She felt so much better. Despite how little the dog demon talked, she knew that he did care. He had cared enough to save her, and he cared enough to comfort her. He hadn't thrown her out, nor had he yelled at her for all her tears. He had been nothing but calm and patient and kind. He was her anchor in the midst of her storm of emotions and pain, and she desperately needed someone strong to cling to at the moment.

Sesshoumaru continued to stroke her hair, picking some of the knots out with his claws, as she slowly calmed down. When her tears had finally stopped, he noticed that she was asleep, her dreams obviously peaceful. The small smile on her face was testament enough to that.

He didn't really feel like carrying her to the other side of the house, and he didn't want to wake her to go through the tearful session again. Sighing, he leaned back, laying her on the bed next to him. She shifted a little, staying as close to him as possible, but she didn't wake. That was the only relief he had.

If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he didn't mind the idea of sharing a bed with her. She smelled pleasant, despite all her crying, and she was small enough she didn't take up a huge amount of the bed. She didn't seem to hog the covers, but she did snuggle a little close to him. But again, if he was honest with himself, he would have to admit that he liked that.

Of course, he didn't want to be honest with himself over any female.

'_One night will not make a difference. She is not a child who will think I will let her sleep with me every night because she's scared of some monster,' _he thought, relaxing so he could return to sleeping. _'And she had better not snore.'_

------------------------------

CotA: Yay! A chapter with some fluff. Now I'm getting somewhere. I'm not sure how many more chapters there will be to this, but I think I'm at least halfway through. I think. Well, I hope everyone enjoyed it. I certainly enjoyed writing it.


	12. Chapter 12

Tourinquet

Chapter Twelve

Kagome awoke slowly, feeling well rested. She felt warm, safe, and comfortable as she sat up, rubbing her eyes. She was in Sesshoumaru's room, but he was nowhere to be seen. The side of the bed he had slept on was empty and cold, and she felt a little forlorn for a moment.

'_He's probably working on something,' _she thought, suddenly feeling relieved. She was glad that he hadn't been there when she had woken up. She would have been far too embarrassed, and the situation would have been incredibly awkward. _'At least he let me sleep in. It's probably well past breakfast, but he didn't make me get up on time. That was really thoughtful of him.' _

Easing herself out of his bed, she went back to her room, walking quietly as possible. She had no desire for Samantha to catch her leaving Sesshoumaru's room. Sam would likely take it the wrong way and the teasing that would ensue would be humiliating. Kagome certainly didn't want to know what would happen if Sam teased Sesshoumaru about sharing a bed.

Still, Kagome felt better for having slept the night in the inuyoukai's arms. It had been comforting beyond belief, especially when she factored in the fact that Sesshoumaru was Inuyasha's brother and he had tried to kill her in the past. Of course, if she considered the last part, almost all her friends from the Sengoku Jidai had tried to kill her before; but they had still become good friends despite their previous problems. Something about that comforted her.

Slipping silently into her room, she dressed and brushed her hair, putting it into some semblance of order. If she ignored the hints of black smudges under her eyes, she looked almost older. Her eyes gave her away though. She had lost her innocent sparkle, the childlike faith she'd once possessed for Inuyasha. Her eyes said she had seen more than she wanted, and that she had been through rough times. Looking at herself in the mirror, she had to think that her eyes looked old and pained.

Kagome made her way to the kitchen, figuring that she would grab a late breakfast. She was certainly hungry, and her stomach would start growling if she didn't eat something soon. It felt good to be more like her old self, and Sesshoumaru would undoubtedly be pleased about it as well.

"Good morning, Kagome!" Sam called out as the black-haired girl walked into the kitchen. She had flour in her hair, sugar all over the counter, and multiple stains on her clothing. If Kagome had to guess, she would say that the girl had been making a pie or something of that sort. "You slept in."

As Sam tsked at her, Kagome smiled. "Yes, and I feel much better," she replied, looking at the mess of the kitchen. "And I don't suppose you have anything ready to eat?"

The other girl laughed. "Of course. I always have food that's ready to eat." She whirled around the kitchen, moving bags and bowls and grabbing items Kagome didn't even know how to describe. Soon, Sam had a quick meal all ready for Kagome to devour, and the black-haired girl wasted no time in eating it.

As Kagome was putting her dishes in the sink, Sesshoumaru poked his head in, golden eyes dark with disapproval. "Samantha, must I re-educate you on what condition the kitchen should be kept in?" His tone of voice held a hint of annoyance, but he didn't sound angry or even violent.

Kagome waited for the embarrassment to overwhelm her and for her cheeks to flush, but nothing happened. She felt nothing but peaceful when she looked at the inu youkai. He looked perfect as always, with his silver hair tied back at the nape of his neck and his gray business suit had obviously been made just for him.

Sam stuck her tongue out at the youkai who had raised her. "Nope. I got a handle on this," she shot back, tone bordering on the insubordinate.

"See that you do." Sesshoumaru glanced over at Kagome. "Make sure she does not become disobedient. If she does, I will be displeased." Then, he was gone as quickly as he had appeared.

For some reason, Kagome found that rather funny, and she began to giggle and then finally to laugh. Sam joined in on the laughter, her face lighting up with pure joy.

When they had finally stopped laughing, Kagome felt immensely better. She was going to be okay; Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow anything else. "Alright. Let's get this place cleaned up."

* * *

After a while, Kagome's days fell into a routine. She would wake up, eat breakfast with Sam (and sometimes Sesshoumaru as well), and then spend her day doing various activities with the girl while Sesshoumaru went to work. In the evenings they would have dinner together, and if she had a nightmare, she crawled into the inu taiyoukai's bed. He never did seem to mind when she slept with him. If anything, he seemed to enjoy it, although it would be like pulling teeth to get him to admit it. Whenever he woke up in the morning to find her in bed with him, he had a slight smug smile on his face, although Kagome doubted that he knew that.

Still, she grew to depend on him and his strength. He let nothing overly bother him, and he stood up to any and all challenges. Even better was that he was gentle with her in a way that no one had been before. He would sometimes take her places, and he always kept a close eye on her, completely tuned into her emotions. The inu youkai never let on what he was thinking, but he didn't seem to have a problem knowing what was on her mind.

Kagome had to admit that it was infinitely nice to have someone who always knew just what to say or do to make her feel better He could be aggravating at times in his arrogance, but she was used to that and prepared for it, and his arrogance was so familiar that it filled her with warmth. Sesshoumaru would never admit it, but he was like his half brother in more ways than he wanted to know.

Of course, there were times when she found him particularly annoying.

"Pack a bag, Kagome. We are leaving tonight," Sesshoumaru stated as she walked in the front door from her walk through the garden. He looked almost painfully perfect in his navy blue suit that was cut to emphasize his broad shoulders and set off his pale hair.

He was most definitely annoying when he issued orders with little to no explanation.

"Where are we going?" she asked, curious and a little annoyed. What right did he have to demand she do anything?

"On a trip." His golden eyes stared into hers, daring her to argue.

Kagome took him up on that dare. "That doesn't tell me anything. Can't you be more specific?" she asked, scowling. What was it with inu youkais and being so autocratic?

Sesshoumaru paused for a moment, thinking it over. "It is a business trip," he amended. "Now pack a bag."

He left Kagome muttering in annoyance and debating if she really wanted to listen to him or not.

* * *

COTA: Yes, I know I should have updated this ages ago, but I'm doing it now. Hopefully I'll get one more chapter out before I get married and go on my honeymoon, but I'm not promising anything. Thank you everyone for being patient with me.


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